A South Korean destroyer with 37 military officers and 269 other crew members aboard has docked in Ho Chi Minh City for a visit that marks 20 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Wang Goen, the biggest warship in the Korean Navy named after the founder of the ancient Korean kingdom of Goryeo, arrived at Saigon Port on Wednesday and left for Busan on Saturday.

Its crew members' itinerary includes meetings with the city's leaders, Vietnam's Navy and military officers in the south, visit to the SOS village for disadvantaged children in Go Vap District, and a friendly volleyball match with students of a local navy school.

The 149.5 meters long, 4,200 ton stealth destroyer with a top speed of 50 km per hour, is armed with the latest anti-ship missiles that have a range of 130 km, and anti-air missiles capable of intercepting aircraft and cruise missiles 100 km away.

It has arrived in Vietnam with an anti-submarine helicopter but it can carry two.

Stealth technology prevents enemy radars from detecting it.

The ship is one of six multipurpose destroyers in the Chungmugong Yi Sun-shin class.

South Korea is developing the Sejong Great class of guided missile destroyers. Three ships have been launched between 2007 and 2010 and the navy plans three more.

In September last year, two South Korean Naval training ships Gang Gam Chan and Chun Ji with 620 crew members paid a three-day visit to Ho Chi Minh City.